The
Church Unity Octave, a forerunner of the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity, was developed by Father Paul Wattson, SA,
at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, and was first observed
at Graymoor from January 18-25, 1908. Today, the Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity invites the whole Christian community
throughout the world to pray in communion with the prayer
of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John
17:21).
In 1966, the Faith and Order
Commission of the World Council of Churches and the Vatican
Secretariat (now Council) for Promoting Christian Unity began
collaborating as a common international text for worldwide
usage. Since 1968 these international texts, which are based
on themes proposed by ecumenical groups around the world,
have been developed, adapted and published for use in the
United States by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious
Institute.
Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity 2011
Chosen Theme: One in the Apostles
Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayer
(cf. Acts 2:42)
The theme for the annual celebration
of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2011 has been announced
by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and
the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of
Churches. The theme for the 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity is One in the Apostles Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking
of Bread and Prayer. It comes from Acts Chapter 2 versus 42.
For 2011, the churches in Jerusalem were the initial consultants
to the Joint Working Group for the Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity. The Christians of Jerusalem call upon their brothers
and sisters to make this week of prayer an occasion of renewed
commitment to work for genuine ecumenism grounded in the experience
of the early Church.
Purchase
Week of Prayer Materials by completing the
2011 Week of Prayer For Christian Unity Order Form
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